The Riddle Game

[Cleddyf]

this is hard,
okay
stab in the dark time
ship waiting+strayed in mountain= nimrodel?

[Ernildir]

Nimrodel is correct. Well done.

[Erucheb]

Hmm, I'll have a go, if I might:

By fire forged, like frost I bite,

My haft was firm in the hand of the strong.

My snow-point strove with Sauron's heat,

But the black-mailled hands did burn my king.

[Peter Remling]

Narsil ?

[Erucheb]

Good guess, but no.

[Ernildir]

Aeglos or Aiglos, depending on how we want to spell it, I'd say.

[Erucheb]

Aeglos it is. The spear of Gil-galad, last High King of the elves in Middle-earth.

[Ernildir]

Aeglos it is. The spear of Gil-galad, last High King of the elves in Middle-earth.

I really liked that you incorporated its meaning into the riddle. Very good. You should write more.

[Ernildir]

And what do you think of the alternate spellings, by the way? I've never understood why there is more than one way to spell it.

[Rhys ap Ieuan]

My understanding is that the later spelling was what Tolkien considered correct, though I don't know where the earlier one came from. Also, as Mark Twain probably never said, "Anyone who can only think of one way to spell a word obviously lacks imagination."


Mind if I toss one on the fire?
Scarlet wanderer,
old beyond ancient.
Child of Telperion,
guide the First.
And light the path of war.

[Faolan]

The Sun?

[Ernildir]

The moon, or perhaps Tilion?

[Erucheb]

And what do you think of the alternate spellings, by the way? I've never understood why there is more than one way to spell it.

It's because Tolkien changed his mind on how the primitive *ai diphthong came down into Sindarin. Originally, it stayed the same, so you get spellings like Aiglos. Later, he decided that the diphthong was "weakened", so to speak, to ae, which just means that the diphthong doesn't rise as high. It ends on a sound like French "é" rather than English "ee".

[Ernildir]

And what do you think of the alternate spellings, by the way? I've never understood why there is more than one way to spell it.

It's because Tolkien changed his mind on how the primitive *ai diphthong came down into Sindarin. Originally, it stayed the same, so you get spellings like Aiglos. Later, he decided that the diphthong was "weakened", so to speak, to ae, which just means that the diphthong doesn't rise as high. It ends on a sound like French "é" rather than English "ee".

Makes sense. Thanks!

[Cleddyf]

okay this has been quiet for a while
so i thought i'd put another one out there

Time was when I was weapon and warrior; Now the young hero hoods me with gold,
and twisted silver. At times men kiss me. At times I speak and summon to battle
Loyal companions. At times a courser, Bears me o'er marchland. At times a ship
Bears me o'er the billows, brightly adorned. At times a fair maiden fills me with breath;
At times hard and headless I lie on the board, Bereft of beauty. At times I hang
Winsome on wall, richly embellished, Where revelers drink. At times a warrior
Bears me on a horse, a battle adornment, And I swallow, bright-shining, the breath from his bosom.
At times with my strains I summon the heroes, Proudly to wine. At times I win back
Spoil from the spoiler, with sounding voice, Put foemen to flight. Now ask what I'm called.